Constitution of Norway (1814)

7/30/2019 Constitution of Norway (1814)

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The

Constitutionof

the Kingdom of Norway,

A.

Of th e fortn of Government-and the Religion.

I-

lhe Kingdom of Norway is a free, independent and indi

visible Realm . Its form of government is a limited andhereditary monarchy. 2.

The Evangelical- Lutheran Religion shall be maintainedaud constitute the established Church of the Kingdom.The inhabitants who pro fess the said religion are bound toeducate their children in the same- Jesuits and Monastic or

ders shall not be tolerated.Jews are furthermore excluded from the Kingdom.


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B

Of th e Executive Power, the King a nd th e Royal Family.

3-

T h eexecu t ivep o w e ris v e s t e din th e K i n g . H ist i t les ha ll b e :W c N.N., by the Grace of God and theConstitutionof the Kingdom, King of Norway.

4-

The King's person is sacred, he cannot be blamed,nor accused. The responsibility is incumbent on his council.

5-

The hereditary succession is lineal and agnatical, in sucha mannerV that only male descending from male may inheritthe crown. The nearer line shall be preferred to the remoter, and the elder to th e younger.

, 6.

The elected King's male issue, begotten in lawful matrimony, is entitled to the succession, in the order prescribed in the foregoing so that the Kingdom remains forever undivided; whereas the other Princes, to whom th ecrown m ay devoive by inheritance, shall be contented withsuch appanage, a s shall be granted them by the National

Assembly (called StOr-Thillg) 5 untili the order of succession devolves to them.


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7When a Prince, entitled to succession to the throne of

Norway, is born, his nm e and birthtime shall be commu

nicated to the next Session of the National Assembly and beentered in its records.

8-Among those entitled to succession is also reckoned the

unborn, who shall immediately assume his due place of succession, when born after the death of his father.

9-If there should be no Prince entitled to succession, the

King m ay propose his successor to the National Assembly whoeither consents to the proposal or rejects it.

io.The King is of age when he has filled his twentieth

year. As soon a s he has entered his twenty first year, heshall publicly declare himself to be of age.

II-

W h e nth eKing is of fullagehe a c c e d e sto th eGovernm e n ta f t e rh v i n gm a d eth e followingoa thto th eN a t i o n a lA s s e m b l y :I proniiseand swear to govern the King

dom of Norway according to its Constitutionand laws; so help me God and his holy word.


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If there be no National Assembly sitting at that timethe o ath shall be deposited in writing in the Council of State,and the King shall repeat it solemnly in the next Session o(

the National Assembly. . 12

W h e n the King has attained to full age, his Coronationand Unction shall be performed in the cathedral of Trondhjem(Dronthem) at the time and with the ceremonies which hehimself may appoint.

13The King shall always reside within the present fron

tiers of th e Kingdom, and he must not abide b eyo nd th emlonger than six m o nth s at a time, without the consent of theNational Assembly, unless he will, for his own person, forfeit his right to the crown.

. 14.The King must not accept of any other crown or

p-overnment without the co nsent of the National Assemblyfor which consent two thirds of the votes shall be required

i -

The King shall alw ays have professed and actuaily pro

fess the Evangelical-Lutheran Religion, which he shall maintain and protect.


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. id

The King ordains all public worship and divine service,

all meetings and congregations concerningreligion and superintends the public teachers adherence to the norms prescribedthem.

17-

The King m ay issue and repeal Ordinances eoncerningCommerce, Duties, Trades and Police, provided they donot infringe upon the constitution and the laws given by

the National Assembly. Such ordinances are provisional andremain in vigour untill the next Session of the National Assembly.

. i

The King generally levies the taxes and du ties imposedby the National Assembly.

. 19.The King superintends the management and employ

ment of the proprieties and regalia of the state conformablyto the manner appointed by the National Assembly and tending most effectually to the public good.

. 20.

The King, being in his Council of State, has a rightto pardon criminals, after the Sentence of the High Courtof justice has been pronounced and its Opinion heard. The


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criminal may choose whether he will accept the King's pardon or submit to the punishment imposed.

In the law-suits caused to be commenced by the Section of the National Assembly called Odels-Thing before theCourt of State, no other pardon but dispensation from painof death must be granted.

. 21.

The King, after hearing the declaration of his Councilof State, elects and appoints all civil, ecclesiasticai and military functionaries. These shall swear to be faithful andobedient to the Constitution and the King.

The royal Princes must not be invested with civil ofTices 22.

The Members of the Council of State and the functio

naries appointed in its offices, embassadors and co nsu ls, thesuperior civil and ecclesiasticai magistrates, th e chiefs of re

giments and of other military bodies , governors of fortresseand comrnanders of ships of war m ay be discharged by theKing, without any previous judgment, afte r hear ing the declaration of his Council of State. Ho w far pension or

annuity may be allowed the functionaries thus dischargeshall be decided by the National Assembly next sitting In

the mean time they shall enjoy the two thirds of theirformer salary. The other functiona rie s may only be suspended by the King, after which they shall immediately b


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prosecuted at law; but they must not be discharged withouta previous sentence, nor must they be removed against theirwill.

23.The King m ay confer orders upon whom he chooses,

a s a reward for distinguished merits, which shall be madeknown to the public, but no other rank or title than whatevery office implies. The order exempts nobody from thecommon duties and burdens of Citizens, nor does it imply

a pecuiiar right of preferment to any o ffice in the Kingdom.Functionaries discharged with the King's favour retain thetitle and rank of the ofrices they have borne. No personalor mixed hereditary prerogatives shall be granted to anybodyfor the future.

5. 24.The King appoints and discharges, according to his own

will, his household and the functionaries at his court. Forthe pay of these and the sustenance of his household a suitable sum shall be allowed him every year by the NationalAssembly.

25 .The King has the supreme command of the land and

naval forces of the Kingdom. They must not be left to thedisposal or service of foreign powers , and no foreign soldiers,

B


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except auxiliaries against hostile invasion, must be called into

the Kingdom without the consent of the National Assembly.

26 .

The King has right to assemble troops, declare warand conclude peace, to make and dissolve alliances , to sendand receive embassadors.

27

Government has no right to employ military poweragainst members of the state, except in cases determined by

the law, unless any assembly should disturb the public tranquillity and it should not instantly be dissolved after thearticles of the civil law concerning riot have been thriceaudibly read by the civil magistrate.

23.

The King himself elects a Council of Norwegian

Citizens v/hose m em bers m ust not be younger than thirtyyears. This Council shall consist of five members at least.Besides them the King may, on extraordinary occasions, callother Norwegian citizens, except members of the NationalAssembly, to take place in the Council of State. He distributes the a ffairs among them in such a manner a s he thinksmost proper.

Father and son or two brothers must not at the sametime take seat in the Council of State.


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29-

All the counsellors of state shall be obiiged, if therebe no lawful hinderance, to be present in the Council ofState, and no resolution must be t ken there if there be nomore than half the number of the m em bers present.

30-Presentations concerning the appo in tments to offices and

other affairs of importance, except diplomatic matters andspecial affairs of military orders, shall be laid before theCouncil of State by the member to whose office they belong,and the affairs shall be despatched by him according to theresolution tken by the King in the Council of State,

3i-If a lawful h inderance should prevent a counsellor of

state from meeting and exposing the affairs relating to his

department, they shall be exposed by another counsellor ofstate, whom the King may constitu te.If so many m em b ers sh ou ld be prevented by a lawful

hinderance from meeting in th e Council of State, that nomore than half of the appointed number of members arepresent, other officers shall be constituted by the King totake seat in the Council of State.

32-A register shall be kept in the Council of State of ali

the m atters which shall be discussed there.B 2


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Every body who has a seat in the Council of State isobiiged to declare his opinion freely, to which the King shall

attend; but it is left to the King to take a resolution according to his own judgment.

If any member of the Council of State should think theKing's resolution inconsistent with the form of governmentor the laws of the Kingdom, or evidently prejudicial to theKingdom, he shall be obiiged to make forcible remonstrances against it and to insert his opinion in the register. Hewho has not thus protested shall be looked upon a s being ofthe same opinion a s the King and shall account for it in sucha manner a s shall be determined hereafter.

3 3 ^

The counsellor of state who presides the departmentfor foreign affairs sh all h ave his own register wherein those

matters shall be enteredwhich are

ofsuch a kind a s not

tobe laid before the assembled Council of State.

34-All Decrees and Ordinances of Government shall always

be issued in the King's nme.

3 5 -

All ordinances and official letters issued by the King,excep t ma tters concerning military orders, shall be countersigned by him. who has exposed the matter pursuant to his


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office, a s being responsible of the expedition's conformitywith the register in which the decree h a s been inserted.

36-The next heir to the crown, if he be a son of the

reigningKing, shall have the title of Kronpiillds til Norge(Crown-Prince of Norway). The King's other sons w ho areentitled to the crown shall have the title of Princes and theKins^s daug;hters that of Princesses.

37-As sOon a s the heir to the crown h a s attained to an

age of eighteen years, he is entitled to take s e a t in theCouncil of State 3 but he shall have no vote, nor shall he beresponsible.

5 - 38-No Prince of the royal blood must leave the Kingdom,

m arry or enter into foreign service without permission fromthe King. If he act against this he forfeits his right to thecrown.

39-The royal Princes and Princesses shall, a s for their per

sons, not be responsible to others than to the King or towhom he may appoint their judge.

. 4-If the heir to the crown be absent at the King ?s death,

and he be not prevented by insurmountable obstructions, he


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shall be obiiged to repair to the Kingdom within a space ofsix months, after the deatjh has been m ade kno wn to him.

4 1-

When the next heir to the crown be under age at theKing's death, the Queen-dowager shall reign, if she be hisgerman mother, a s long a s she remains widow, together withthe Council of State, till the King be of age. If there be noQueen -dowager, the Prince next to succession who is above

twenty-five years old, shall reign in the same manner, andhe shall have the title of Regent. If the Regency should falito a remoter heir in the line of succession, because the properone was not yet of full age, the former shall resign it to thelatter a s soon a s this has attained to an age of twenty-fiveyears. In these cases resolutions shall be tken in the Councilof State according to majority of votes, and the Queen-dowager, or Regent, shall have two votes.

42-

If there be no Prince of full age, the Regency shall beconducted by the Council of State together with the personswhom the National Assembly m ay think necessary to appoint,under the responsibility prescribed in . 4 5 . The firstmember of the- Council of State shall then preside and havetwo votes.


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43-The regulations prescribed in . 4 2 shall also have effect

if the King should be unable to reign by weakness of mmd orbody or he should be absent from the Kingdom.

44-Those who, pursuant to the above mentioned articles,

administer the government, while the King is under a g e % absent, or otherwise unable to reign, shall be obiiged singly

to make the following oath to the NationalAssembly:

I promise and swear to administer the government conformably to the Constitution and the

Laws; so help me God and his hoiy word.

4 5 -As soon a s their government discontiftues, they shall

give an account of it to the King and the National Assembly. 4 6 -

At the King's death, or in the cases, in which a resencyought to be appointed, the Council of State, or others^concerned, shall immediately convoke an extraordinary NationalAssembly. If the Council of State do not perform this dutywithin the space of four weeks, the convocation shall bedone by th e chief judge (Justitiarius) and the members of thesupreme court of justice.


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f- 47-

The care of the King's education while he is under ageshall, if his father h a s not left any written appointment, becommitted to some persons, selected for that purpose, by theNational Assembly and the Queen-dowager if s h e be his german mother, excluding the next heir to the crown, his ofF.spring, the Council of State and the other members of theregency.

48

If the King's male issue be extinct and no successor beelected , the NationalAssemblyshall immediatelybe convokedin the manner prescribed in . 4 6 , in order to elect a newline of Kings. In the mean time the same rules shall be observed concerning the executive power, a s are prescribed in 42-

C.

Of Burghershipand th e LegislativePower.

49-

The people exercises the legislativepower at the NationalAssembly, consisting of tw o sections, viz. the Lag-Tlling(Court bf Law) and the Odels-Thillg (Court of Allodiality).


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50-

Voting members are only those Norwegian Citizens whohave filled their 25H1 year, have been settled in the Kingdomfor five years and who either

a) are or have been employed in any public office;b) possess in the country, or have tken a lease of, any

matriculated ground for more than five years;c) are citizens of towns, or possess in a town or port a

house or piece of ground amounting at least to the value

of three hundred Rigsbank-Dollars Silver- Value. 5i-Within six m o n th s from the sanction of this Constitution a

register of all the voting members shall be drawn up in everytown by the Magistrte, and in every parish by the Foged(Collector of the taxes) and the parson, wherein shall immediately be inserted all the changes which it might undergo by

process of time. Everybody is obiiged, before he is enteredin the register, publicly to swear obedience to the Constituionbefore a court of justice.

I 5 2 .The right of voting is suspended

a) by an accusation of crimes before a court of justice;b) by being reduced to a state of minority;a) by stopping of payment or failure 'till the creditors

have received full payment, unless the failure m ay beC


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occasioned by fire or by any other unforeseen or proveable misfortune.

8 - 53

The right of voting is forfeiteda) by hving been condemned to work in a House of Cor

rection, to the Slavery or to any infamous punishment;b) by entering into the service of any foreign power without

the consent of Government;

c) by acquiring burghership in a foreign state;d) by being convinced of hving bought votes, sold his

own vote, or voted in more than one Elective Assembly. 5 4 -

The assizes of th e Elective Assembly and those of th eDistricts are held every third year. The transactions shallbe finished before th e end of the month of December.

5 5 -

The Elective Assemblies are held in th e country in theprincipal church of the parish, in th e towns in the church,in th e town-house, or at any other place convenient for thatpurpose. They are presided in the country by the parso nand his coadjutors, in the towns by their Magistrates andAldermen. The act of voting is performed in th e orderappointed in th e register. Disputes concerning th e right ofvoting are decided by the directors of the Assembly from whosejudgment there m ay be appealed to the National Assembly.


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56-Before th e electio ns begin, the Constitution shall be

audibly read, in the towns by the chief Magistrate, in thecountry by the parso n.

S - 57-In the towns one elector is chosen for each 5 0 voting

inhabitants. These electors meet within 8 days after, at theplace appointed by the Magistrate, and elect either fromamong themselves or among the other voting members intheir respective district of election a fourth part of their ownnumber, to m eet and take seat at the National Assembly, insuch a manner that 3 to 6 choose one, 7 to 10 two, 11 to 14three, 15 to 18 four, which is the greatest number a townis allowed to send. If a town have less than 1 5 0 inhabitants entitled to vote it sends its electo r to the next town,in order to vote together with the electors of this, in whichcase both the towns are regarded a s one district.

. 58-In each parish in the country the inhabitants entitled to

vote choose in proportion to their number electors in themanner following: A number from Ito 100 choose one, from100 to 200 two, from 200 to 3 00 three and so on in the same

proportion. These electors meet within a month a fte r thattime, at a place appointed by the Amtmand (Chief Justice ofthe bailiage), for that purpose, and then either choose from

C 2


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among themselves, or among the other voting members inthe bailiage a tenth part of their own number, to meet and

take seat at the National Assembly, in such a manner that 5to 14 choose one, 15 to 24 two, 25 to 3 4 three, 3 5 andupwards four, which is the greatest number.

5 - 5 9-The rules prescribed in . 5 7 and 5 8 have their efFect

'till th e next meeting of the National Assembly. If then itbe found that the number of the Deputies from the towns

amount to more or less than f of the Deputies of the wholeKingdom, the National Assembly shall alter these ardcles, toserve a s a norm for the future, in such a manner, that the De

puties of the towns correspond with those of the country atth e rate of one to two, and the number of the Deputies ingeneral shall not be less than 75, nor above 100.

. 6 0.The voting members residing within the boundaries of

the Kingdom, and impeded by sickness, military service orany other lawful hinderance from meeting, may send theirvotes in writing to those who preside the Elective Assemblies, before these are concluded.

. 6 1 .Nobody can be elected a Deputy unless he has filled

W s 3 0th year and has liyed 10 years in the Kingdom.


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6 2The members of the Council of State and the functio

naries employed at its offices, or at court, a s well a s itspensioners can not be elected Deputies.

63.

Every one who is elected Deputy s obiiged to acceptof the election, unless impeded by any hinderance declareda lawful one by the electors, whose declaration may be submitted to the decision of the National Assembly. Whoeverhas met two times one after another at an ordinary meetingof the National Assembly is not bound to accept of the election for the ordinary National Assembly next following. Ifany Deputy be hindered by lawful impediment from meetingat the National Assembly, he who, next him, has the greatcst

number of votes, takes his place.

64,

Immediately after the election the Deputies are providedwith a full -power, signed in the country by the superiorAuthorities and in the towns by their respective Masistrates a s

well a s by all the Electors, a s a proof of the election beingmade in the manner prescribed by the Constitution.

The legality of these full-powers is decided by the National Assembly.


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. 6 5 ,On their journey to and from the National Assembly,

a s well a s during their stay there, the Deputies are exemptedfrom being personally arrested, unless they should be caughtin public crimes, nor are they bound without the assizes of theNational Assem bly toaccount for opinions uttered there. Everyone is obiiged to submit to the order established there.

6 7 .The Deputies elected in the m anner ab ove mentioned

form the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Norway.

5 - 6 8 -The Sessions of the National Assembly generally begin

every third year on th e first work-day of the month of February in the Capital of the Kingdom, unless the King, on accountof extraordinary circumstances, such a s a hostile invasion ora plague, might choose an other town for that purpose. Insuch cases the alteration must be timely published.

69.On extraordinary occasions the King has right to con

voke the National Assembly out of the ordinary time. TheKing then issues a proclamation which shall be read in all

the churches of the capital towns at least six weeks before themembers of the National Assembly are to meet on the placeappointed for that purpose.


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. 7 0.Such an extraordinary meeting of the National Assembly

m ay be dissolved by the King whenever he pleases.

7 1-The members of the National Assembly keep their

chargs a s members of the said Assembly for three years togetherat the extraordinary a s well a s at the ordinary assizes whichm ay be held in the m ean time.

. 72.If an extraordinary Assembly be sitting at the time when

ah ordinary one is going to meet, the former is dissolved a ssoon a s th e latter is assembled.

8 - 73-Neither of the Assemblies can hold their assizes unless

two thirds of its members are present.

8 - 74-Immediately after the National Assemblyis constituted the

King, or whom he appoints in his place, opens its transactionswith a speech, in which he informs th e Assembly of thestate of the Kingdom and of the subjects on which he parti

cularly desires to draw its attention. No deliberation musttake place in the Kingos presence.


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The National Assembly selects from among its members

one foarth part to constitu te th e Lag-Thillg; the other |form the Odels - Thilio;.

Either of the ThillgS holds its assizes separately andelects its own President and Secre ta ry.

75 -It belongs to the National Assembly:

a) to give and repeal laws, to impose taxes, duties,customs and other public burdens, which, however,have no longer effect than 'till the ist of July in theyear when an other ordinary National Assembly is sittingunless express ively renewed by it;

b) to open loans on the credit of the State;c) to superintend the monetary system of the State;d) to allow the sums necessary to defray the expences of

the State;

e) to determine the sum allowed the King for the maintenance of his court, and to appoint the appanage ofthe Royal family, which, however, must not consist inpossessions of grounds;

f) to order the records of the Council of State and all

other public intelligences and papers, except military

orders, to be laid before them;g) to order a communication of the a liiances and treaties,


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concluded by the King in the nme of the state withforeign powers, except secret articles, which, however,

must not be contrary to the public;h) to summon any one, except th e Royal family, to ap

pear before it in state - afFairs ; yet this exception doesnot regard the Royal Princes in case they should beinvested with any office;

i) to review the provisional lists of military pay or allowances, and to m ake the alterations in them which theyshould think necessary;

k) to appoint five Reviewers whose duty shall be everyyear to review the state -accounts and publish extractsof it in print, for which purpose the said accounts shallbe co m m u nicated to the reviewers every year beforethe ist of July;

1 ) to naturalize foreigners. 76

Every law shall previously be proposed at th e Odels-Thing, either by its own members , or by governmentthrough a counsellor of state. When the bill is past there,it shall be sent to the Lag -Thing which either consents toit or rejects it, and in the latter case, it is sent back with

remarks added to it. These are tken into considerationby the Odels -Thing which either may put aside the bill orsend it a second time to the Lag-Thing with or without

D


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alteration. W h e n the Odeis-Thing has twice laid a bill beforethe Lag -Thing and the latter has a second time refused toconfirm it, the whole National Assembly meets, and decidesof the bill with two thirds of its votes. Between each suchdeliberation three days must pass at least.

77-When a bill proposed by the Odels-Thing is confirmed

by the Lag -Thing or by the whole National Assembly, itshall be sent to the approbation of the King by a deputation

from both the houses of the National Assembly. 7 8 -If the King consents to the bill he adds his signature to

it, by which it is made a law. If he do not consent to ithe returns it to the Odels-Thing with the declaration, thathe does not for the present think it proper to give hissanctio n to the bill.

S - 79 -On such occasions the National Assembly then sitting

m ust no more p resent the bill to the King who m ay act inthe same manner if the next ordinary National Assembly brings,in the same bill again. But if the bill, upon a repeated andstricter examination, should again pass in the third ordinaryNational Assembly without any alteration at both courts , and;\t sho uld then be presented to the King, with the desire thatHis Majesty will not refuse his sanction to "a bill which th e


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National Assembly> upon the maturesr. deliberatlon, judges tobe useful, it shall be made a law, if even the sanction of

the King should not follow before the National Assemblybreaks up.f- 80.

The National Assembly rema ins sitting a s long a s itshould think necessary, though not above three months withoutthe King's consent. When, after hving finished its transactiom, orj after hving been assembled the prescr ibed time*

it is dissolved by the King, he communicates it at the sametime his resolution concerning the bilis which have not yet *been determined, by either sanctioning or rejecting them;All the bilis, to which he does not positively consent, arelooked upon a s being rejected by him.

Bt.

All th e i a w s ,e x c e p tt h o s em e n tio n e d in .7 0 , a rei s s u e din th e King / sn m ea ndu n d e rth e s ea lof th eK i n g d o min th e followingt e r m s : We , by the grace ofGod and according to the Constitution of theKingdom, King of Norway, makeknown, that,hving received the resolution of the NationalAssembly of the following date and purportfhe r eth e r e s o l u t i o nf o l l o w s )We have COllSeilted toand sanctioned the said resolution, a s by these -

D 2


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Presents W c do actually consent to and sanctionit a s a law under our hand and the seal of the

Kingdom. . 8 2

The provisional ordinances, issued by the King whileno National Assembly is sitting, a s well a s the other ordinancesand orders, belonging only to the executive power, shallbe drawn up in the following manner: Wc &C,

make known that, by virtue of the authority alowed Us by the Constitution of the Kingdom,Wc have decreed as by these Presents Wc do decree &c.

83-The sanction of the King is not required for the Decrees

of the National Assembly by which ita) declares itself sitting a s National Assembly pursuant to

the Constitution;b) regula tes its interior police;c) co nsents to or re jects the warrants of the m em bers pre

sent;d) confirms or rejects judgments in disputes concerning

elections;e) naturalizes foreigners;


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f) and lastly the King's sanction is not required to the decreeby which the Odels - Thing declares counsellors of stateunder accusation.

5 - 84-The National Assembly m ay receive the cognizance of

the High Court of Justice concerning matters of law.

85-The National Assembly shall be kept at open doors and

its transactions be published in print, except in the c a s e swherethe contrary is decreed by majority of votes.

86-Whoever obeys an order tending to "disturb the freedom

and safety of the NationalAssembly is guilty of treason againsthis native country.

D.Of th e Judicial Power.

87 -The members of the Lag-Thing together with those of

the High Court of Justice constitute the Rigs-Ret (Court ofState) w ho in the first and last instance shall judge in the

causes, commenced before the Odels-Thing, either againstmembers of the Council of State or of the High Court of Justice on account of crimes in the performance of their offices,


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6r againt members of the National Assembly, on account ofcrimes they commit in such a cjuality. In the Rigs-Ret thePresident of the Lag-Thing shall preside.

88-

The Defendant may reject, without alledging any rason,even to a third part of the members of the Court of State,yet in such a manner that the court do not consist of less thanfifteen persons.

89-

In order to judge in the last instance a High Court ofJustice shall be established* a s soon a s possible, which mustnot consist of less than a chief judge and six members.

. 9 -In times of peace the High Court of Justice together

with two high military officers, whom the King appoints,constitute the second and last instance in all the affairs of courtmartial, concerning either life or honour or the loss of freedoni for more than three months.

9i-

The judgments of the High Court may on no occasionbe appealed or submitted to revision.

9 2 -

Nobody m ay be appo in ted member of the High Courcof Justice before he is thirty years old.


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E.

Qenera l Rules*

93-

In the offices of the state must only be employed thoseNorwegian citizens who profess the Evangelical- Lutheran religion, have sworn cpedience to the Constitution and theKing, speak the langu age of the country, and

a) either are born in the Kingdom of parents who at thattime were subjects of the Kingdom; or

b) are born in foreign countries of Norwegian parents whowere not at that time subjects of an other state;

c) or who have at present a steady residence in the Kingdom and have not refused to make the oadi to maintainth e independence of Norway;

d) or who live in the Kingdom for ten years;

e) or who are naturalized by the National Assembly.Foreigners, however, may be appointed teachers at the

University and the high schoois, physicians and consuls ontoreign places.

_ Nobody must be appointed chief magistrate before he U

thmy years old, or magistrate, inferior judge and collector ofthe taxes before he is twenty-five years old


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94-A new general civil and criminal law shall be caused

to be published by the first, or, if this be not possible, bythe second ordinary National Assembly. In the mean timthe present laws of the Kingdom shall remain in vigour, afar a s they are not inconsistent with this fundamental law othe provisionalordinances which in the mean time might bissued. The present permanent taxes shall likewise remaiuntill the next National Assembly.

95-No dispensations, no bilis of protection, no letters o

respite or restitutions must be granted after the new generalaw h a s been published.

96Nobody may be judged but by virtue of a law, or b

punished but pursuant to a judgment.Torture must not be inflicted.

97-No law must be retroactive.

. 98-Perquisites due to the officers of the courts of justic

must not be attended with taxes to the treasury. . 99-

Nobody must be imprisoned but in c a s e sappointed bthe law and in the manner determined by the same. Whoev


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thus, without any reason or sanction of the law, imprisonsor detains anybody shall be obiiged to account for it.

ioo.

An intire liberty of the press shall take place. Nobodymust be punished for any writing, of what argument soever,which he has puhlished or caused to be printed, unless hehas either wiliingly and evidently shown himself disobedientto the law or animated others to disobedience against the

same, to co ntem p t against religion, morality or the constitutivepowers, to resistance against their orders, or uttered falseand injurious accusations against anybody.

It is allowed everybody freely to deliver his opinionsof government or any other subject.

. 101.

New and constant restrictionsfin the liberty of tradesmust not be allowed to anybo dy for the future.

102.

Inquiries in private houses are not permitted, unlessin criminai cases.

103.

No refuge is allowed to those who turn bankruptshereafter.

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. 104-Lands and moveable heritages cannot be forfeited in

any case.

. 105.If the public welfare should require th e sacrifice of

anybody 's moveable or unmoveable propriety to public usehe shall be indemnified out of the public treasury.

106.

The produce of the sale a s well a srevenues

of glebalands (benefices of clergymen) shall only be empioyed to thebenefit of the clergy and to the promoting of arts andsciences. The propriety of Institutes of charity shall onlybe empioyed to the advantage of these.

. 107.The Odels- and Aasdes-Ret (Right of redeeming pa~

trimonial lands and of dwelling on the chief m ansio n) m ustnot be abolished. The further conditions, under which theyshall contlnue to the greatest advantage to the state and benefit to the peasantry, sha ll be determined in the session ofth e first or second following National Assembly.

I 108-No Counties, Baronies, Fee-simples and Fidei-Com

misses (feofFments in trust) must be erected for the future.


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109.

Every citizen of the state is in general equally bound

to defend his native country during a certain time, withoutany regard to birth or fortune. The application of this ruieand the restrictions it ought to suffer is left to the determination of the next ordinary National Assembly afte rnavingacquired all the informations possible by a committee, electedbefore the conclusion of the present session of the NationalAssembly. In the m ean while the present rules shall continue.

. I 10.

This Constitution, when sanctioned by the NationalAssembly, becomes the fundamental law of the Kino-dom.

If experience should prove, that any part of it oughtto be altered, a proposal concerning that afFair shall bemade in an ordinary session of the National Assembly and

be published in print. But it is the businws of the nextNational Assembly to decide, whether the alteration proposedshall take place or not. Yet such an alteration must neverbe inconsistent with the principles of this fundamentel law,but only concern modifications in particular cases, which donot alter the spirit of this Constitution, to which alteration

the consent of two thirds of the National Assembly is required.

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Wc the signed , Deputies of the Kingdom of Norway, hereby

declare this Constitution, sanctioned hy the National Assembly,

to be the fundamental law of the Kingdom of Norway, which

all and every one shall obey. In witness whereof wc have

signed these Presents and thereto put our seals.Eidswold the i/th of May 1814

Peder Pilker. C. M. Falsen. Christensen. C, Sibbern.[L . S.] [L . S.] [L . S .J [L . S.j

F. Stabell. Z. Mellebye. Alexand. Chr. Moller. Motzfeldt.[L. S,l [L. S.] [L . S.] [L . S.]

H. Haslum. Christie. F. Meltzer. J. Rolf sen. J. Rein.[L . S.] [L. S .J [L. S .J [L. S .J [L. S .J

A> v. W. Koren. G . B. Jersin. R. Gierager. Irgens. Nielsen.[L. S.} [L . S.] [L. S .J [L . S .J [L . S.]

P Hiermand. C. Holck. N. Loftesns. F. Schmidt. J, Collett.[L. S.] [L . S.] [L . S .J [L . S.j [L . S .J

C. Hoen. Lovenskiold. P Cloumann. T. O. Huvestad.[L. S .J * [L. S .J [L, S .J [L. S .J

Sverdrup. O m s e n . Wergeland. O. C. Morch. Weidemann.[L . S .J [L.S.] [L. S.j [L. S .J [US.]L.S.J [L. S.j [L.S.J [US.]

Stabel, Lysgaard. J. Moses . N. Scheitlie. Dahl.[L, S . . J [L . S.) [L. S .J [U S.j [L. S .J

A. M. Jlaiberg. B e n d e h e , Konig. Evenstad. H. Nysom.[L. S .J [L . S .J [L.S.J [L.S.] [L.S.J

H. W "edel-Jarlsberg, Blom. O. R. A p e n e s s . A- Sibbern.

[L. S.] [L . S.] [L. S.j [L . S .JP Steenstrup. C. H. Hornemann. Diriks. J. Hesselberg.

[L . S .J (L . S .j [L , S .J [U S .J


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A. Grormeberg . O. Amundrod. G. Lund, jun. Erichstrup..

' &*& lL- S- l IL- S .J P L . S . J

T. J. r. Lundegaard. O. L o m s l a n d . E. Jaabech. S . Eeg [L- S ^ C L.S.] [US.] [L.S.)

F. Motzfeldt. G. Wulfsberg. J. Aall, jun. Grdv flflrf[L' W fe & [L . S.J [L . gj '

T. R ..Lilleholt. Prydz. H. Waagaard. Fleischer. N. Dy hr en.[L' S - J fL ' S 0 L- S .J rL.S.] [LS.]'

D. Hegermann . Haraldstad. J. Aall T. Bryn. E. T. Lande[L' V t : S'l CL - S- J [L. S .] ' [L. so .

O. K. Tveciten. Krohg. J. S tub. E. Walhde. R Floer[L- s -] L- S- J fL- SJ [L . S.j rt: s.j '

Jioimr. J. bmct. i> . Cappelen. P. V. Rosenki lde . OftedahlfL ' S -J [L' S-l S- J [L . S .J [L . S.) *

C . Mdlbach. A. Regels tad . F Fabricius. F Konow[L" S^ fL- S- l fL . S .J [L . &J

P. Johnson. E. Thorsen . Petersen. O. Svendsen. P. R a m m[L- S' ] tL" s -l SMB [L.s.j [L.s.j *

f Tt \ ^ $ *** * *. P. sww*, jun .[L- S-l [L.S.J [L.S.J [L.S.J [L.SJ

J. H Darre. H. Rambech . L Forsth. C. Midelfart,' [L ' S-] [L-S.] [L.5.3

H. Heyerdahl. S . Bratberg. Wasmuth. D. Schevig. J. Lanze[L - AJ fc SJ [L- S L ] [L . S.] [L . S .J

H Gz o*. tf H e i d m a n n . P. Ertzgaard. C . Stol tenberg[L " CtJ [L.S.] [L . S.J $

/ -&r- O. 5. Berche land . H. Cars tensen,L- S .J [L . S w ] [L . S .J

Documents

Constitution of Norway (1814)